Mail-bag crane.



PATENTED SEPT. 29, 1903.

-J'. M. c. HOWELL. MAIL BAG CRANE.

APPLIOATIOF FILED MAY 7, 1903.

R0 MODEL.

nrlT m/ 1 .F a l 4 VL a 1 11 M a m a 4 a 4 a i do 0 Z .1 9 m w m. F n 51 Patented September 29, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. o. HOWELL, OF MASOOT, TENNESSEE.

MAIL-BAG CRANE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters liatent No. 739,876, dated September 29, 1903. 7 Application filed May '7, 1903. Serial No. 156,119. (No model.)

pended vertically in proper position for en- I gagement and removal by an arm projecting laterally from a mail-car passing the pointat which the crane is located.

The object of my invention is to produce a mail-bag crane which is simple and may be constructed at small cost and which is at the same time durable and convenient and reliable for operation.

My improved construction makes possible the convenient vertical and radial adj ustment of the arms which support the mail-bag and permits the hanging of the bag bya person standing on the ground and without the use of a ladder or other means for climbing to the height at which the bag rests whenin position to be taken by the train. To this end the bag-supporting arms and the parts to which they are directly connected are vertically shiftable, their upward movement being e'fiected manually when the bag has been attached to the supporting-arms, and their descent being automatically effected directly after the bag has been removed. My improved construction also makes possible the ready removal of all the operative parts from the supporting post or mast.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a crane embodying my improvement and holding a mail-bag in proper position to be taken by the mail-car, the view' being parallel to ,the railway-track. Fig. 2 is an elevation looking transversely across the tracker toward the left as the crane is shown in Fig. 1, the bag having been discharged and'the supporting-frame having made a quarter-rotation upon the mast and descended upon the latter a distance nearly equal to the length of said frame. Fig. 3 is a plan of the crane, the supporting-frame being in the position shown in Fig. 2.v Figs. 4

piece 3.

and 5 are detail views illustrating constructions for resisting the movement of the supporting-frame when the latter is in its elevated position.

Referring to said drawings, 1 is a vertical rigid post or mast having its lower end secured .in any suitable manner, as by inser frame for vertical and rotary movement and a pair of arms for engaging the mail-bag A. The drawings show said frame consisting of the upper cross-piece 3, the lower crosspiece 4, two vertical bars rigidly connecting the crosspieces 3 and 4, an upper arm 6, and a lower arm 7. The mast extends loosely through each of the cross-pieces 3 and 4. This allows said frame to slide up and down and also retate upon said mast. The upper arm 6 is an extension of said frame, audit is preferably rigid. The drawings show said arm clamped to the upper face of the cross-piece 3 by means of a nut 6 applied to the upper end of the adjacent bar 5. -Said bar may, however, be secured in any suitable manner. It might, for instance, be a continuation of the cross- The lower arm 7 is made yielding in a vertical plane, preferably by hinging it. The drawings show said arm hinged at S to the lower cross-piece 4 in such manner as to permit the outer end of'said arm to move downward by gravity when released by the removal of the mail-bag. ,It will be understood, however, that said arms 6 and 7 may be otherwise made relatively yielding, so that their outer ends will tend to move away from each other, the purpose ofsuch action being to permit such yielding'engagement of the bag as will resist the action-of the wind and vibrations of the mast and frame, but will be readily overcome by the force of the arm reaching laterally from the passing mail-car. A bracket 9 is attached immovably to the mast. The drawings show said bracket located between the cross-pieces 3 and 4, but the bracket may belocated below the crosspiece4. In theform shown in the drawings said bracket consists of a hub 10, surroundingthe mast, and a set-bolt 11, extending through said hub against the mast, and a standard 12, rising from said hub far enough to bear by its upper end against the lower face of the upper cross-piece 3 when the supporting-frame 2 is at the desired elevation and in the desired plane radial to the mast. All of said bracket is preferably located nearer the mast than is the vertical bar 5, which is adjacent to the arms 6 and 7, in order that the frame may rotate around said bracket, and said standard is at the same time far enough from the mast to permit the cross-piece 3 to descend between the mast and said standard when the supporting-frame has been rotated to stand at right angles to the position which it occupies while holding the bag. (See Fig. 3 and also the dotted outline of the cross-piece 3 in Fig. 1.)

The operation is as follows: The supporting-frame being in the position shown by Figs. 2 and 3, (at its lower limit and parallel to the railway-track,) the upper end of the bag is secured to the arm 6. Then the lower arm 7 is lifted into the horizontal position and engaged with the lower end of the bag, the weight of said arm serving to maintain engagement of the bag by both the lower and the upper arms. Now by pressing against the lower cross-piece at theentire supportingframe is pushed upward until the upper cross-piece is higher than the upper end of the standard 12. Then the entire supportingframe is rotated toward the track until the arms stand in a plane radial to the mast and at right angles to the course of the track and the upper cross-piece is directly above or over the standard 12. Then the frame is lowered until the upper cross-piece rests upon the upper end of said standard. When the arm on the mailcar engages the bag, the entire supporting-frame is rotated upon the mast in the direction of the train far enough to release the upper cross-piece from said standard. This leaves said frame free to descend by gravity until arrested by the lower portionv of the bracket, and in so descending the frame is guided by said standard 12, so that by the time the frame rests upon the lower portion of the bracket the frame will have been brought into a plane parallel to-the track or perpendicular to the plane in which the frame stood before the bag was taken. In said position said frame is held safely out of the range of passing trains.

It is to be observed that the length of the standard 12 may be varied for the purpose of bringing the supporting-frame as low as may be desired to permit the hanging of the bag by a person standing on the ground.

By loosening the set-bolt 11 the bracket 9 may be adjusted vertically or radially upon the mast or together with the supportingframe entirely removed from the mast for repairing or replacing of parts. This provision for adjustment makes it unnecessary that the mast be set at a precise elevation or radial position. The mast may be set ap' proximately right and the precise position for the supporting-frame then fixed by a proper setting of the bracket.

In Fig. 4, which is a detail transverse sectional view adjacent to the upper end of the bracket 0, the lower face of the upper crosspiece 3 is shown as having a cavity 3 for receiving the upper end of the bracket. This construction compels the slight upward movement ofthe supporting-frame simultaneously with the initial portion of the lateral movement. The resistance to such vertical movement (said resistance being the weight of said frame and the bag) is to be enough to prevent wind, particularly the air-currents caused by the moving train, from moving the frame and bag laterally.

In Fig. 5, which is a section similar to Fig. 4, the upper end of the standard 12 has a central depression in which the upper crosspiece may rest and from which lateral movement can take place only by a preliminary vertical movement of the supporting-frame and the bag. Obviously other means than thus relatively recessing said standard and said frame may be employed for offering resistance to the lateral movement of said frame while the latter rests upon said bracket.

It will be observed that my apparatus is adapted to be operated by a train runningin either direction. It will also be observed that when the bag is being taken the supportingframe yields in the direction of the movement of the train. This reduces strain upon the crane to the minimum.

I claim as my invention 1. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a supporting-frame slidably and rotatably secured to said mast and having means for supporting a mail-bag, and means for supporting said frame while the latter is at a certain elevation and in a certain plane radial to said mast and releasing said frame when rotated out of said plane.

2. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a supporting-frame slidably and rotatably secured to said mast and having means for supporting a mail-bag, and adjustable means for supporting said frame while the latter is at a certain elevation and in a certain plane radial to said mast and releasing said frame when rotated out of said plane.

3. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a

ortin a mail-ba and means for su orting said frame while the latter is at a certain supporting said frame while the latter is at a I certain elevation and in a certain plane radial to said mast and releasing said frame when rotated out of said plane and guiding said frame against returning into said plane while said frame is descending by gravity.

6. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a supporting-frame slidably and rotatably se cured to said mast and having means for supporting a mail-bag, and means for supporting said frame while the latter is at a certain elevation and in a certain plane radial to said mast and releasing said frame when rotated out of said plane and guiding said frame into and holding it in a plane perpendicular to the aforesaid plane while said frame descends by gravity.

7. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a supporting-frame slidably and rotatably secured to said mast and having means for supporting a mail-bag, and adjustable means for supporting said frame while the latter is at a certain elevation and in a certain plane radial to said mast and releasing said frame when rotated out of said plane and guiding said frame into and holding it in a plane perpendicular to the aforesaid plane while said frame descends by gravity;-

8. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a slidable and rotatable supporting-frame consisting of upper and lower cross-pieces, vertical bars, 5, arms, 6 and 7, and means for supporting said frame while the latter is at a certain elevation and in a certain plane radial to said mast and releasing said frame when rotated out of said plane.

9. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a slidable and rotatable supporting-frame consisting of upper and lower cross-pieces, vertical bars, '5, arms, 6 and 7, and adjustable means for supporting said frame while the latter is at a certain elevation and in a certain plane radial to said mast and releasing said frame when rotated out of said plane.

10. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a

slidable and rotatable supporting-frame consisting of upper and lower cross-pieces, vertical bars,5, arms,6 and 7, and means for supporting said frame while the latter is at a certain elevation and in a certain plane radial to said mast and releasing said frame when rotated out of said plane and arresting said frame when the latter reaches a certain lower elevation.

11. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a slidable and rotatable supporting-frame consisting of upper and lower cross-pieces, vertical bars, 5, and arms, 6 and 7, and means for supporting said frame while the latter is radial to said mast and releasing said frame at a certain elevation and in a certain plane when rotated out of said plane and guiding saidframe into a plane perpendicular to the aforesaid plane.

12. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a supporting-frame slidably and rotatably secured to said mast and having means for suspending a mail-bag, and a bracket located upon said mast and rising adjacent to said mast and adapted to support said frame at two different elevations and in a difierent plane at each elevation.

13. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a

slidable and rotatable frame consisting of upper and lower cross-pieces, vertical bars, 5, and arms, 6 and 7, and a bracket located upon said mast and rising adjacent to said mast and adapted to support said frame at two different elevations and in a different plane at each elevation.

14. In a mail-bag cranc, a vertical mast, a supporting-frame slidably and rotatably secured to said mastand having means for suspending a mail bag, and an adjustable bracket located upon said mast and rising adjacent to said mast and adapted to support said frame at two different elevations and in a different plane at each elevation.

15. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast,a slidable and rotatable frame consisting of upper and lower cross-pieces, vertical bars, 5, and arms, 6 and 7, and an adjustable bracket located upon said mast and rising adjacent and arms, 6 and 7, and a bracket located upon said mast between said cross-pieces and rising adjacent to said mast and adapted to support said frame at two different elevations and in a different plane at each elevation.

17. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a

supporting-frame slidably androtatably secured to said mast and having means for suspending a mail-bag, and a bracket comprising a standard and a hub surrounding said mast and means for securing said hub to said mast at different elevations.

18. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical cylindric mast, a supporting-frame slidably and rotatably secured to said mast and having means for suspending a mail-bag, and a bracket comprising a standard and a hub surrounding said mast and means for securing said hub to saidmast at difierent elevations.

19. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a supporting-frame slidably and rotatably secured to said mast and having means for suspending a mail-bag, and a bracket comprising a standard and a hub surrounding said mast and a set-bolt for securing said hub.

20. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a

supporting-frame slidably and rotatably secured to said mast and having means for supporting a mail-bag, and a bracket for supporting said frame while the latter is at a certain elevation and in a certain plane radial to said mast and releasing said frame when rotated out of said plane, said bracket and the portion of said frame engaging with said bracket being relatively recessed, for the purpose of increasing engagement between said parts.

21. In a mail-bag crane, a vertical mast, a

supporting-frame slidably and rotatably se- 

